# Arthur Seyss-Inquart

> Austrian Nazi politician, and Nazi ruler of occupied Netherlands, convicted of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death (1892–1946)

**Wikidata**: [Q650219](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q650219)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Seyss-Inquart)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/arthur-seyss-inquart

## Summary

Arthur Seyss-Inquart was born July 22, 1892, in Stonařov.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] He held citizenship in Austria–Hungary, Austria, and Nazi Germany. He was a politician, lawyer, jurist, writer, and Holocaust perpetrator.[10] He was educated at the University of Vienna.He was employed by the Austrian Federal Government and the Reichskommissariat Niederlande.[11] He held positions including member of the Reichstag of Nazi Germany (1938–1945), Federal Chancellor of Austria (1938–1938), Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs (1945–1945), and Reichskommissar (1940–1945).[12][11][13] He was a member of the Schutzstaffel, the Hitler Cabinet, and Deutsche Gemeinschaft.[12][13]He received awards including the Wound Badge, Anschluss Medal, Karl Troop Cross, Danzig Cross 2nd Class, Bronze Military Merit Medal, and Silver Military Merit Medal.[14] He died October 16, 1946, in Nuremberg.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][15][9] The cause of death was hanging to death.[16] He was buried at Wenzbach.[5].

## Summary
Arthur Seyss-Inquart was an Austrian Nazi politician, lawyer, and jurist who served as the Nazi ruler of the occupied Netherlands during World War II. He held significant power within the Austrian Federal Government and the Hitler Cabinet, playing a role in the Anschluss and the administration of occupied territories. Convicted of crimes against humanity, he was sentenced to death and executed in 1946.

## Biography
- **Born:** July 22, 1892
- **Nationality:** Austria-Hungary, Austria, Nazi Germany
- **Education:** University of Vienna
- **Known for:** Serving as the Nazi ruler of the occupied Netherlands and holding high office in the Austrian Nazi government
- **Employer(s):** Austrian Federal Government, Reichskommissariat Niederlande
- **Field(s):** Politics, Law, Jurisprudence

## Contributions
Arthur Seyss-Inquart's career was defined by his leadership roles within the Nazi regime's political and administrative structures. He led the Reichskommissariat Niederlande, the administrative division of Nazi Germany established in the occupied Netherlands on May 14, 1940. As a member of the Hitler Cabinet (1933–1945) and the Austrian Federal Government, he contributed to the governance and integration of Austria into Nazi Germany. He was also a member of the Schutzstaffel (SS), the Nazi paramilitary organization responsible for implementing the regime's policies, including the Holocaust.

## FAQs
**What was Arthur Seyss-Inquart's role in the Netherlands?**
He served as the Nazi ruler of the occupied Netherlands, leading the Reichskommissariat Niederlande, which was the administrative division of Nazi Germany in that territory from 1940 onward.

**What government positions did Arthur Seyss-Inquart hold?**
He was a member of the Austrian Federal Government and the Hitler Cabinet, serving as an Austrian Nazi politician during the existence of Nazi Germany.

**Where did Arthur Seyss-Inquart receive his education?**
He attended the University of Vienna, a public research university founded in 1365 and located in Vienna, Austria.

**What military and political awards did Arthur Seyss-Inquart receive?**
He received numerous decorations, including the Anschluss Medal, the Golden Party Badge, the Sudetenland Medal, the Eastern Medal, the Honour Chevron for the Old Guard, and the Military Merit Cross of Austria-Hungary.

**What was the legal outcome for Arthur Seyss-Inquart after World War II?**
He was convicted of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death, dying on October 16, 1946.

## Why They Matter
Arthur Seyss-Inquart is historically significant for his role in the administration of occupied territories during World War II and the implementation of Nazi policies. As the ruler of the occupied Netherlands, he was a key figure in the enforcement of the Nazi regime's authority over a civilian population in Western Europe. His involvement in the Austrian Federal Government during the Anschluss marked the dissolution of Austrian sovereignty and its integration into Nazi Germany. His conviction for crimes against humanity highlights the judicial accountability sought for the atrocities committed during the war, particularly regarding the persecution of populations and the conduct of the occupation.

## Notable For
- Serving as the Nazi ruler of the occupied Netherlands (Reichskommissariat Niederlande).
- Membership in the Hitler Cabinet, the governing body of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945.
- Membership in the Schutzstaffel (SS), the paramilitary organization responsible for the Holocaust.
- Being a high-ranking Austrian Nazi politician within the Austrian Federal Government.
- Receiving the Golden Party Badge, a special award for the first 100,000 members of the Nazi Party.
- Receiving the Anschluss Medal for supporting the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany.
- Holding citizenship in Austria-Hungary, Austria, and Nazi Germany during different periods of his life.
- Being convicted of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death.

## Body

### Identity and Background
Arthur Seyss-Inquart (aliases: Reich Kommissar Seijss-Inquart, Arthur Zajtich) was a male human born on July 22, 1892. He held citizenship in Austria-Hungary, the First Austrian Republic (Austria), and Nazi Germany. His life spanned the dissolution of Austria-Hungary in 1918, the establishment of the Republic of Austria, and the rise and fall of Nazi Germany (1933–1945). He died on October 16, 1946.

### Education and Early Career
Seyss-Inquart was educated at the University of Vienna, a public research university founded on March 12, 1365, by Duke Rudolf IV. The university is one of the oldest in the German-speaking world and is located in Vienna, the capital of Austria. His professional background included law and jurisprudence, classifying him as a legal professional and academic. He also worked as a writer and a politician.

### Political Affiliations and Roles
Seyss-Inquart was a prominent Austrian Nazi politician. He was affiliated with the Austrian Federal Government, the executive cabinet of the Republic of Austria. Following the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany (the Anschluss), he became a member of the Hitler Cabinet, which served as the cabinet of Germany from 1933 to 1945. He was also a member of the Schutzstaffel (SS), a Nazi paramilitary organization founded in 1925 that played a central role in the Holocaust and the mass murder of European Jews.

### Governance of the Occupied Netherlands
One of Seyss-Inquart's most significant roles was his position as the head of the Reichskommissariat Niederlande. This entity was an administrative division of Nazi Germany established in the occupied Netherlands on May 14, 1940. In this capacity, he acted as the Nazi ruler of the occupied Netherlands, exercising control over the territory's administration and population during World War II.

### Military Service and Conflicts
Seyss-Inquart was involved in the major global conflicts of his time. He participated in World War I (1914–1918), a global war originating in Europe, and World War II (1939–1945), a global conflict involving the Axis Powers, of which Nazi Germany was a member. His service and affiliations are reflected in the numerous military and political awards he received.

### Awards and Decorations
Throughout his career, Seyss-Inquart received a multitude of awards that recognized his military service and political loyalty to the Nazi regime. These included:
*   **Wound Badge:** A wound decoration in the German military for World War I and World War II.
*   **Anschluss Medal:** A non-military commemorative medal introduced on May 1, 1938, for persons who supported the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany.
*   **Karl Troop Cross:** An award established in 1916.
*   **Wound Medal:** An Austrian wound decoration established in 1917.
*   **Golden Party Badge:** A special Nazi Party award reserved for the first 100,000 party members.
*   **Sudetenland Medal:** A decoration of Nazi Germany awarded in the interwar period starting in 1938.
*   **Eastern Medal:** A German campaign medal awarded between 1942 and 1944.
*   **Military Merit Cross:** A military decoration of Austria-Hungary, founded in 1849 and later expanded to include war decorations and swords.
*   **Honour Chevron for the Old Guard:** A badge of honor established in February 1934 for members of the SS and Nazi Party who joined prior to January 30, 1933.

### Legal Status and Death
Following the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, Arthur Seyss-Inquart faced legal prosecution for his actions during the war. He was convicted of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death. He died on October 16, 1946, marking the end of his life and career in the Nazi regime.

## References

1. [regional database of the Regional Library of Highlands](https://tritius.kkvysociny.cz/authority/1021346)
2. Integrated Authority File
3. I was the Nuremberg jailer (1st American edition)
4. BnF authorities
5. [Nuremberg Trials Project](https://nuremberg.law.harvard.edu/documents/453202)
6. Jewish Virtual Library
7. [Nuremberg Trials Project](https://nuremberg.law.harvard.edu/documents/453201)
8. [Source](https://hdl.handle.net/21.12123/143850)
9. Find a Grave
10. TracesOfWar
11. International Standard Name Identifier
12. [Source](https://www.tracesofwar.com/articles/2672/Seyss-Inquart-Arthur.htm)
13. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
14. SNAC
15. filmportal.de
16. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
17. Salzburgwiki
18. Munzinger Personen
19. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
20. [Nuremberg Trials Project](https://nuremberg.law.harvard.edu/documents/7683-extract-from-arthur-seyss-inquarts?q=seyss-inquart)
21. [Source](https://www.yadvashem.org/odot_pdf/Microsoft%20Word%20-%206018.pdf)
22. collection website Museon-Omniversum
23. Virtual International Authority File
24. The Hitler Book
25. Nuremberg Trials Project
26. [Source](http://purl.org/pressemappe20/beaconlist/pe)
27. Nuremberg trials
28. [Nederlanders! De strijd in het Oosten is voor U geen schouwspel, geen verstoring van Uw rust, doch Uw lot. (..) Ik voldoe hierbij aan dezen wensch en roep alle Nederlanders, die zich willen inzetten, op om in het Vrijwilligerslegioen Nederland te strijden. Beeldbank WO2](http://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/detail/5ba25b66-025a-11e7-904b-d89d6717b464/media/f744b839-951e-0e05-139e-e5021c1a767e)
29. [Pulchri Studio. Tentoonstelling Nederlandsche Kunst van heden. Den Haag 25 april - 10 mei 1942. Beschermheer: de Rijkscommissaris, Rijksminister, Dr. Seyss-Inquart.. Beeldbank WO2](http://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/detail/5bfb626a-025a-11e7-904b-d89d6717b464/media/c349662e-1793-8bfc-720b-b575c20871b0)
30. [Bekendmaking. De Rijkscommissaris voor het bezette Nederlandsche gebied maakt op verzoek der ondergeteekenden de tekst van een van Nederlandsche zijde tot hem gerichte schrijven hieronder bekend: Aan de Duitsche kinderen van 1918. De Nederlandsche kindere. Beeldbank WO2](http://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/detail/5a9321c4-025a-11e7-904b-d89d6717b464/media/879c992f-cb36-eaca-8a61-158222b30aa5)
31. [Verordening 195/41 van de Rijkscommissaris voor het bezette Nederlandsche gebied tot bestrijding van sabotagehandelingen. [===] Hij die opzettelijk een tengevolge geldende rechtsvoorschriften strafbaar feit pleegt [===] wordt gestraft met den dood [===]. Beeldbank WO2](http://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/detail/5bf0e588-025a-11e7-904b-d89d6717b464/media/e38c557c-d768-69cb-18c8-4378fbb486a0)
32. [Bekendmaking. Voor de vernieling of beschadiging van spoorweginstallaties, waterwegen met hun inrichtingen, telefoonkabels en postkantoren stel ik alle inwoners van de gemeente verantwoordelijk binnen het grondgebied, [sic] waarvan de daad is begaan. 's-Gravenhage, 24 September 1944. De Rijkscommissaris voor het bezette Nederlandsche Gebied, Seyss-Inquart.. Beeldbank WO2](http://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/detail/5ac495f6-025a-11e7-904b-d89d6717b464/media/cca5c439-bdbc-29d9-6a65-b4cc1810de1e)
33. [ALGEMEEN HANDELSBLAD](https://hdl.handle.net/21.12123/143850)
34. [Tekstplakkaat van de bezetter met een rood omkaderde tekst onder de Duitse adelaar, links Duits, rec...](https://collectie.verzetsmuseum.org/ais6/Details/collect/2712)
35. Bibliography of the History of the Czech Lands
36. CollectieGelderland